High-Hydration 78% Open Crumb Sourdough with 700g Flour, 478g Autolyse & 53g Bassinage (2-Loaf Batch)
Open-crumb 78% formula for 700g flour (1386g 2-loaf batch) staging 53g bassinage water and 140g levain.
Across 770g combined flour (700g base + 70g from 140g starter), an unadjusted 546g water weight produces 616g total liquid or 80% (+2% surge). Restricting main water to 531g (-15g) with 15.4g salt (1386g dough) locks True Total Hydration at 78.05% (target 78%).
- Strict True Hydration Water
- 531gLocks True Total Hydration at 78.05% (target 78%, -15g)
- Unadjusted Apparent Water
- 546gPushes True Hydration to 80% (+2% surge)
- 20% Active Starter & Salt
- 140g / 15.4g70g hidden flour + 70g hidden water
- Stickiness & Rheology
- 4 / 5 StarsArtisan Level (High extensibility)
5-Point Stoichiometry & Levain Split Chart Centered on 700g / 78%
System flour (770g) and total water (601g) mass-balance rows around 700g flour at 78% (78.05%).
| Batch & Seed Spec | Flour Breakdown | Levain Split | Corrected Water (78% Ref) | Salt & Dough Mass | Apparent vs Locked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 650g @ 76% (15% Seed) Lean Seed (-50g) | 650g + 49g = 699g (78%/700g ref) | 98g (49gF/49gW @ 100%) | 482g W (vs 494g app @ R1) | 14.0g salt (1230g dough) | 77.7% drift → 75.97% (76% goal) |
| 700g @ 76% (18% Seed) Low Inoc (-2% Hyd) | 700g + 70g = 770g (78%/700g ref) | 126g (70gF/56gW @ 80%) | 529g W (vs 532g app @ R2) | 15.4g salt (1355g dough) | 76.4% drift → 75.97% (76% goal) |
| 700g @ 78% (20% Seed) [Target Baseline] | 700g + 70g = 770g (78%/700g ref) | 140g (70gF/70gW @ 100%) | 531g W (vs 546g app @ R3) | 15.4g salt (1371g dough) | 80.0% drift → 78.05% (78% goal) |
| 700g @ 80% (22% Seed) High Inoc (+2% Hyd) | 700g + 77g = 777g (78%/700g ref) | 154g (77gF/77gW @ 100%) | 545g W (vs 560g app @ R4) | 15.5g salt (1399g dough) | 82.0% drift → 80.05% (80% goal) |
| 750g @ 80% (25% Seed) Scaled Batch (+50g) | 750g + 84g = 834g (78%/700g ref) | 188g (84gF/104gW @ 125%) | 563g W (vs 600g app @ R5) | 16.7g salt (1501g dough) | 84.4% drift → 79.98% (80% goal) |
Custom Batch Recalculation Engine
Fine-tune starter hydration between 50% stiff and 125% liquid while keeping your hydration × flour weight formula ratios locked.
Wet Viscosity Control at 78% Hydration (700g Flour / 531g Corrected Water)
True cereal hydration divides all aqueous inputs by the 770g flour denominator (700g main + 70g starter flour). Pouring 546g water yields 616g liquid (80%), while 531g main water plus 70g levain water equals 601g liquid—which locks True Total Hydration at 78.05% (target 78%).
Because 70g starter flour inside 140g levain carries lactic proteolysis into 700g fresh flour, unadjusted 546g water (80%) causes slack tearing. Deducting 15g to 531g water (78.05%, 4/5 stickiness) keeps the 1386g loaf inside the artisan level window.
Step-by-Step Mixing & Folding Protocol for a 1386g Batch (700g @ 78%)
- Pre-Ferment & 478g Autolyse (700g Flour): Verify 140g levain is domed, then soak 700g flour in 478g water for 40–50 min.
- Rubaud Emulsification (531g Total Main Water): Rubaud-mix 140g starter (70gF/70gW), 15.4g salt, and 53g reserved water into the 1386g mass (78%).
- Alveolar Structuring (78.05% True Moisture): Execute 4 coil folds spaced 30 min apart to manage high stretch on 770g flour.
- Retardation & Scoring (2-Loaf Batch / 1386g): Preshape, tension-stitch into a rice-floured liner, chill 12–16 hrs at 38°F, and bake at 450°F.
Technical Q&A: High-Hydration 78% Open Crumb Sourdough with 700
How does 478g autolyse water improve a 700g loaf at 78%?
Soaking 700g flour in 478g water for 45 minutes before adding 140g acidic starter, 15.4g salt, and 53g water (531g total) builds supple elasticity across the 1386g dough.
What happens if I use a 50% stiff levain (140g) with 700g flour at 78%?
A 140g stiff levain (50% hydration) contains 93g flour and 47g water, requiring 572g main water instead of 531g on 700g flour to hold 78%.
How sticky is a 700g flour sourdough at 78% hydration (531g water)?
At 78.05% (target 78%) with 531g water and 140g starter on 700g flour, rheology scores 4/5 stars (Artisan Level) with high extensibility.